the antiquities of the jews-1-第47章

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sedition。　So　I　will　first　explain　the　cause　whence　this　sedition
arose；　and　then　will　give　an　account　of　the　sedition　itself；　as
also　of　what　settlements　made　for　their　government　after　it　was
over。

2。　Corah；　a　Hebrew　of　principal　account；　both　by　his　family　and
by　his　wealth；　one　that　was　also　able　to　speak　well；　and　one　that
could　easily　persuade　the　people　by　his　speeches；　saw　that　Moses
was　in　an　exceeding　great　dignity；　and　was　at　it；　and　envied　him
on　that　account；　（he　of　the　same　tribe　with　Moses；　and　of　kin　to
him；）　was　particularly　grieved；　because　he　thought　he　better
deserved　that　honorable　post　on　account　of　great　riches；　and　not
inferior　to　him　in　his　birth。　So　he　raised　a　clamor　against　him
among　the　Levites；　who　were　of　the　same　tribe；　and　among　his
kindred；　saying；　〃That　it　was　a　very　sad　thing　that　they　should
overlook　Moses；　while　hunted　after　and　paved　the　way　to　glory　for
himself；　and　by　ill　arts　should　obtain　it；　under　the　pretense　of
God's　command；　while；　contrary　to　laws；　he　had　given　the
priesthood　to　Aaron；　the　common　suffrage　of　the　multitude；　but　by
his　own　vote；　as　bestowing　dignities　in　a　way　on　whom　he
pleased。〃　He　added；　〃That　this　concealed　way　of　imposing　on　them
was　harder　to　be　borne　than　if　it　had　been　done　by　an　open　force
upon　them；　because　he　did　now　not　only　their　power　without　their
consent；　but　even　they　were　unapprised　of　his　contrivances
against　them；　for　whosoever　is　conscious　to　himself　that　he
deserves　any　dignity；　aims　to　get　it　by　persuasion；　and　not　by　an
arrogant　method　of　violence；　those　that　believe　it　impossible　to
obtain　honors　justly；　make　a　show　of　goodness；　and　do　not
introduce　force；　but　by　cunning　tricks　grow　wickedly　powerful。
That　it　was　proper　for　the　multitude　to　punish　such　men；　even
while　they　think　themselves　concealed　in　their　designs；　and　not
suffer　them　to　gain　strength　till　they　have　them　for　their　open
enemies。　For　what　account；〃　added　he；　〃is　Moses　able　to　give；　why
he　has　bestowed　the　priesthood　on　Aaron　and　his　sons？　for　if　God
had　determined　to　bestow　that　honor　on　one　of　the　tribe　of　Levi；
I　am　more　worthy　of　it　than　he　is；　I　myself　being　equal　to　Moses
by　my　family；　and　superior　to　him　both　in　riches　and　in　age：　but
if　God　had　determined　to　bestow　it　on　the　eldest　be；　that　of
Reuben　might　have　it　most　justly；　and　then　Dathan；　and　Abiram；
and　＇On；　the　son　of＇　Peleth；　would　have　it；　for　these　are　the
oldest　men　of　that　tribe；　and　potent　on　account　of　their　great
wealth　also。〃

3。　Now　Corah；　when　he　said　this；　had　a　mind　to　appear　to　take
care　of　the　public　welfare；　but　in　reality　he　was　endeavoring　to
procure　to　have　that　dignity　transferred　by　the　multitude　to
himself。　Thus　did　he；　out　of　a　malignant　design；　but　with
discourse　to　those　of　his　own　tribe；　when　these　words　did
gradually　spread　to　more　people；　and　when　the　hearers　still　added
to　what　tended　to　the　scandals　that　were　cast　upon　the　whole　army
was　full　of　them。　Now　of　those　that　conspired　with　Corah；　there
were　two　hundred　and　fifty；　and　those　of　the　principal　men　also；
who　were　eager　to　have　the　priesthood　taken　away　from　Moses's
brother；　and　to　bring　him　into　disgrace：　nay；　the　multitude
themselves　were　provoked　to　be　seditious；　and　attempted　to　stone
Moses；　wad　gathered　themselves　together　after　an　indecent　manner；
with　confusion　and　disorder。　And　now　all　were；　in　a　tumultuous
manner；　raising　a　before　the　tabernacle　of　God；　to　prosecute　the
tyrant；　and　to　relieve　the　multitude　from　their　slavery　under　him
who；　under　color　of　the　Divine　laid　violent　injunctions　upon
them；　for　had　it　been　God　who　chose　one　that　was　to　the　office　of
a　priest；　he　would　have　raised　person　to　that　dignity；　and　would
not　produced　such　a　one　as　was　inferior　to　many　others　nor　have
given　him　that　office；　and　that　in　he　had　judged　it　fit　to　bestow
it　on　Aaron；　he　would　have　permitted　it　to　the　multitude　to
bestow　it；　and　not　have　left　it　to　be　bestowed　by　his　own
brother。

4。　Now　although　Moses　had　a　great　while　ago　foreseen　this　calumny
of　Corah；　and　had　seen　the　people　were　irritated；　yet　was　he　not
affrighted　at　it；　but　being　of　good　courage；　because　given　them
right　advice　about　their　affairs；　and　knowing　that　his　brother
had　been　made　partaker　of　the　priesthood　at　the　command　of　God；
and　not　by　his　own　favor　to　him；　he　came　to　the　assembly；　and　as
for　the　multitude；　he　said　not　a　word　to　them；　but　spake　as　loud
to　Corah　as　he　could；　and　being　very　skillful　in　making　speeches；
and　having　this　natural　talent；　among　others；　that　he　could
greatly　move　the　multitude　with　his　discourses；　he　said；　〃O
Corah；　both　thou　and　all　these　with　thee　（pointing　to　the　two
hundred　and　fifty　men）　seem　to　be　worthy　of　this　honor；　nor　do　I
pretend　but　that　this　whole　company　may　be　worthy　of　the　like
dignity；　although　they　may　not　be　so　rich　or　so　great　as　you　are：
nor　have　I　taken　and　given　this　office　to　my　brother　because　he
excelled　others　in　riches；　for　thou　exceedest　us　both　in　the
greatness　of　thy　wealth；　（1）　nor　indeed　because　he　was　of　an
eminent　family；　for　God；　by　giving　us　the　same　common　ancestor；
has　made　our　families　equal：　nay；　nor　was　it　out　of　brotherly
affection；　which　another　might　yet　have　justly　done；　for
certainly；　unless　I　had　bestowed　this　honor　out　of　regard　to　God；
and　to　his　laws；　I　had　not　passed　by　myself；　and　given　it　to
another；　as　being　nearer　of　kin　to　myself　than　to　my　brother；　and
having　a　closer　intimacy　with　myself　than　I　have　with　him；　for
surely　it　would　not　be　a　wise　thing　for　me　to　expose　myself　to
the　dangers　of　offending；　and　to　bestow　the　happy　employment　on
this　account　upon　another。　But　I　am　above　such　base　practices：
nor　would　God　have　overlooked　this　matter；　and　seen　himself　thus
despised；　nor　would　he　have　suffered　you　to　be　ignorant　of　what
you　were　to　do；　in　order　to　please　him；　but　he　hath　himself
chosen　one　that　is　to　perform　that　sacred　office　to　him；　and
thereby　freed　us　from　that　care。　So　that　it　was　not　a　thing　that
I　pretend　to　give；　but　only　according　to　the　determination　of
God；　I　therefore　propose　it　still　to　be　contended　for　by　such　as
please　to　put　in　for　it；　only　desiring　that　he　who　has　been
already　preferred；　and　has　already　obtained　it；　may　be　allowed
now　also　to　offer　himself　for　a　candidate。　He　prefers　your　peace；
and　your　living　without　sedition；　to　this　honorable　employment；
although　in　truth　it　was　with　your　approbation　that　he　obtained
it；　for　though　God　were　the　donor；　yet　do　we　not　offend　when　we
think　fit　to　accept　it　with　your　good…will；　yet　would　it　have
been　an　instance　of　impiety　not　to　have　taken　that　honorable
employment　when　he　offered　it；　nay；　it　had　been　exceedingly
unreasonable；　when　God　had　thought　fit　any　one　should　have　it　for
all　time　to　come；　and　had　made　it　secure　and　firm　to　him；　to　have
refused　it。　However；　he　himself　will　judge　again　who　it　shall　be
whom　he　would　have　to　offer　sacrifices　to　him；　and　to　have　the
direction　of　matters　of　religion；　for　it　is　absurd　that　Corah；
who　is　ambitious　of　this　honor；　should　deprive　God　of　the　power
of　giving　it　to　whom　he　pleases。　Put　an　end；　therefore；　to　your
sedition　and　disturbance　on　this　account；　and　tomorrow　morning　do
every　one　of　you　that　desire　the　priesthood　bring　a　censer　from
home；　and　come　hither　with　incense　and　fire：　and　do　thou；　O
Corah；　leave　the　judgment　to　God；　and　await　to　see　on　which　side
he　will　give　his　determination　upon　this　occasion；　but　do　not
thou　make　thyself　greater　than　God。　Do　thou　also　come；　that　this
contest　about　this　honorable　employment　may　receive
determination。　And　I　suppose　we　may　admit　Aaron　without　offense；
to　offer　himself　to　this　scrutiny；　since　he　is　of　the　same
lineage　with　thyself；　and　has　done　nothing　in　his　priesthood　that
can　be　liable　to　exception。　Come　ye　therefore　together；　and　offer
your　incense　in　public　before　all　the　people；　and　when　you　offer
it；　he　whose　sacrifice　God　shall　accept　shall　be　ordained　to　the
priesthood；　and　shall　be　clear　of　the　present　calumny　on　Aaron；
as　if　I　had　granted　him　that　favor　because　he　was　my　brother。〃

CHAPTER　3。

How　Those　That　Stirred　Up　This　Sedition　Were　Destroyed；　According
To　Th